Angela Merkel left red-faced on immigration – 'You have to admit you FAILED!'

The questions came during a press conference where the CDU leader and Horst Seehofer, leader of its Bavarian sister party the CSU, announced an agreement on immigration today.

The “Union” parties have agreed an immigration cap of 200,000 migrants a year and tougher immigration rules, after disagreeing on Merkel’s migrant policy since November 2015.

Chancellor Merkel agreed to compromise with the more right-wing Mr Seehofer on limiting immigration in order to accelerate talks with other parties as she builds her new ruling coalition.

But she was put on the spot by an awkward question from a journalist as the agreement was announced.

The reporter pointed out to Chancellor Merkel that she had had plenty of opportunities to take a tougher stance on immigration since November 2015, when she decided on an open-door refugee policy.

He said: “Now, that both of your parties have suffered massive damages due to the election and the AfD is part of the Bundestag, now you’re suddenly able to.

“Don’t you have to admit to yourself that both of you have simply failed regarding this?”

Chancellor Merkel responded: “It is of course legitimate to ask, ‘Why was it not possible before?’

“I believe that since then a lot of work has been done so that it was possible to put the last pieces together. 

“And all I can say is that I’m glad that it was possible yesterday. And the rest will have to be judged later.

“There is a time for everything. And… yesterday this time had come.”

Mr Seehofer added: “A lot has happened since September 2015, you should not forget that.

“If you think about the agreement with Turkey, the closing of the Balkan route, the many asylum laws and many other things.

“It was, as said before, the last missing piece.”

Following the agreement with the CSU, Chancellor Merkel and the CDU are set to begin coalition talks with the FDP and the Green Party.

The CDU and CSU’s previous coalition partners, the Socialist Party, refused to be part of the government after suffering electoral losses still greater than the Chancellor’s.